19

Agatha was flushed from her face down.

Anyone in her situation would be, hearing the future duchess of Maikailsom granted her an audience. In this situation many had the right to be nervous. If things goes right, Agatha would be more than an audience to the Lady. Agatha pampers her rosy cheeks looking intently at the mirror. One would think she was practicing how she could hold a conversation with the lady but no Agatha had other things in mind.

She stared down at the ugly pore that had sudden gone sore from scrubs she attempted. She had witnessed the beauty of lady Anthonette, she could not bear the thought of having her outshine her.

She only did invite lady Anthonette just so she could reclaim her title as the king's Jade. However she only got that title when she was just 16 and sold to the king as a concubine.

As Agatha got older, the King grew disinterest in her and had the audacity to compare her beauty to coal just because she wasn't as gaudy in as the rest of the concubines. So Agatha sought attention from non other than prince Eden after he defended her right in front of the Emperor.

Anyone who wasn't a fool could grasps her obssession with the prince. They thought she was a fool, a hopeless romantic who thought she could make the prince fall in love with her.

Some pitied her extremist ways to get the prince to notice her, it was pathetic.

One could tell the prince wasn't interested even though Agatha was breathtaking. No one could understand why he didn't even pay her attention, not even once. Some of the men swore he must have been sexually inactive but with the way he changes women, they wondered if Agatha was beautiful, this drove her mad.

It made her more manic that some pest caught his attention and it was none other than Anthonette Hivera. "She isn't that beautiful." Agatha mummured trying to hold back her tears, rage even.

"What makes her so special ?

What did she have that I didn't ?" Agatha peered into her reflection waiting for it to start giving her the answers. All she could see was a sad, devastated fool.

Agatha didn't notice a figure behind her until she caught a reflection of Beatrice. She scoffed gently tapping her face like she wasn't just questioning her reflection.

"What are you doing here ? Don't you have to sulk in your room ?" Agatha didn't have the emotional strength to feign a smile like she always does. "You're finally acting like yourself, a bitch if I may add." Beatrice slowly bows massaging Agatha's shoulder.

"So what do you have planned tonight ?" Agatha could detect malevolence in Beatrice tone. "I invited Lady Anthonette to have tea with me, Care to inform me what you've committed ?" Beatrice smiled. "Straight to the point eh ?"

Agatha raised her shoulders in a shrug. "I don't really have time to entertain your bullshit, what do you have in mind ?" Beatrice continues trying to massage Agatha's shoulder.

"I had the maid prepare seven different teas, six are brewed from deadly poison." Agatha didn't flash a single emotions across her face.

"Only one of the tea is harmles. Since Anthonette in comparison to power with you, she'll be picking the tea." Agatha didn't really see anything bad in it, Anthonette would pick the poisonous tea and just die but that won't look good for her.

She was the one who invited Anthonette for tea and the Duke will surely have her beheaded.

"And you're telling me your plan because ?" Beatrice smiled she was amused that none of the things made Agatha to flinch or cower. "Because I'm simply bored."

"But you're not giving me the reaction I was hoping for." Beatrice pouted running her fingers through Agatha's long locks. "This isn't the first time you've done something like this, if anything I want the lady to die." Agatha paused slightly getting up. "Then maybe I could get prince Eden to notice me but that would be short-lived."

Agatha turns to Beatrice wearing a wicked smile. "Though I could rat you out since you're bold enough to tell me your plans but then again you are not that stupid to leave behind tracks." Agatha was lost in thought. "Did the Emperor set you up for this ?"

Beatrice didn't answer but that was a good enough answer. "Does he know he could start a war if the lady is found dead ?"

"It's not like he had a hand in it you'll be used as decour of course, you'll be the one responsible for the death of Lady Anthonette."

Till now Agatha didn't understand the unwavering fear the Emperor had for Anthonette, she still hated her guts and will definitely want to see her die but for the Emperor to have a hand in it, if the Duke finds out she rather be better off dead, given the Duke's past with prisoners.

"Agatha..." Beatrice embraces Her fondly. "The Emperor's Jade..." She continues. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, you have the opportunity to get rid of the king's only insecurity even though it means risking your life...."

Agatha froze, not in fear but in disbelief, why was the Emperor afraid of girl ?

That wasn't of any concern to her so she pushed the question.

"So why didn't you risk your life ?"